Betrayed and Dumped: She Rose Stronger Than Ever novel Chapter 199

Jon stood at the grill, picked up a lamb skewer that was clearly burnt, and bit into it without a hint of hesitation. He nodded as he chewed. “Mm. Not bad, actually.”

Cindy stared at him in disbelief and quickly grabbed the skewer away. “Are you out of your mind? That’s completely charred. Why are you even eating that? What if you get sick?”

Jon just smiled. “I think it’s fine, really. Want to try it?”

Cindy felt herself deflate. “You don’t have to do this, you know.”

Her thoughts were a mess. She couldn’t figure out what Jon was trying to prove tonight. Was he trying to make up for what happened back then? Deep down, Cindy knew she’d been the unreasonable one, holding on to something that only she seemed unable to let go.

Jon suddenly got serious. “Cindy, about what happened before… it was my fault. I didn’t think about how you felt. I said some harsh things. I’m sorry.”

His words caught her off guard. She looked away, her voice barely above a whisper. “It’s not… it’s not your fault.”

“So, you forgive me?”

“Yeah.”

Jon let out a long breath, relief all over his face. “So… can we still be friends?”

Friends. The word stung, making Cindy’s chest tighten. Sure. Friends. That was probably for the best.

Meanwhile, Rebecca was helping Stephen in the kitchen. She moved quietly, tidying up and making sure she never got in his way. They worked together so smoothly it was like they’d practiced. Whenever Stephen reached for something, like sauce or a bowl of spices, it was already there.

Stephen watched Rebecca as she washed dishes at the sink, her focus gentle and steady. For a moment, he thought this was exactly the kind of peaceful happiness he’d always wanted.

Dinner was ready soon after. The four of them sat down, the table covered in food and a big plate of barbecue. Cindy eagerly pushed her grilled skewers toward everyone.

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